Blog

Seasoned Veteran
Brings 25 Years of Experience as Nonprofit Executive to Organization Dedicated
to Transforming Lives of Homeless Families with Children in North Metro Atlanta

Duluth, Ga., October
24, 2019 – Cheryl
Carter is never one to shy away from a challenge. From the moment her career as
a nonprofit executive began 35 years ago, she’s found great success in not only
tackling, but overcoming challenges. From her role as Development Director for
Friends of Zoo Atlanta paving the way for the raising of $25M to transition the
zoo to natural habitats to launching her own company – Strategic Solutions – to
aid destinations like the Tennessee Aquarium and Creative Discovery Museum, her
journey to Rainbow Village almost seems written in the stars. Particularly for
the time in her life when she found herself a divorced single mother of four –
struggling to get by. At that time, she pledged to use her skills to help
single moms and – in her new role as Success Team Leader at Rainbow Village,
where many residents are single moms who recently faced homelessness – she’ll
get to do just that.

With a reputation for being a change agent who isn’t afraid to dig
in and do the hard work, Carter’s colorful resume also includes stints at the
YMCA and Family Promise of Gwinnett. During her time at Family Promise, she
became keenly aware of the issue of homelessness throughout Gwinnett County.
Feeling the need to prepare the families for sustainable success, she was
instrumental in retooling the organization’s aftercare program. It is here that
she really began collecting data, researching empowerment methods and applying
self-sufficiency metrics to her strategies. The data she collected was invaluable
to learning what worked and what needed to change. She quickly discovered that
“measuring the extent of homelessness is essential to combating it”.

“In moving families from homelessness to housing, you need to be
intentional about your purpose and the desired outcomes,” said Carter. “With
many facing systemic issues, it’s vital to change their thinking and provide
them with learning experiences rather than ‘things.’ Most importantly, “we have
to create interventions that allow individual participants to exercise choice
in their approach to skill building and goals completion”. It’s vital that we
meet them where they are and empower them to attain three main goals: to earn a
living wage, build their credit and pay off debt. Beyond employment, career
management and financial coaching , we also need to address other barriers to
housing such as the lack of strong social support networks, physical and mental health and family well-being.

In her new role as Success Team Leader, Carter will be responsible
for directing and managing Rainbow Village’s Success Coaches – who move families
along the continuum towards self-sufficiency. She insists that – since Rainbow
Village addresses the needs of the whole family – it’s critical to move every
member of the family along the continuum simultaneously. Carter also has
oversight of the youth afterschool program – where she intends to create
connections between the students, parents and the school. Lastly, Carter is
excited to tackle alumni programming – to collect data and measure results from
former Rainbow Village residents in hopes of developing a more robust alumni
program in the near future.

“I’ve never had resources and support before like I’m experiencing
at Rainbow Village,” said Carter. “I’m no longer a ‘Lone Ranger.’ I’m part of a
team dedicated to seeing that every graduate is prepared to successfully
transition from this program and into market rate housing. I love that the
Rainbow Village team also strives to ensure that when families are employed,
it’s not just a job, but a career with room for growth. Earning a living wage is
a vital part of breaking the cycle of homelessness and paving the way to a
promising future. We want to help the families we serve see beyond the
challenges and view the possibilities. When they embrace their ability to
transform possibilities into realities, that’s a very important first step in
the right direction.”

Carter is happily married with a supportive husband, a wonderful
mother who lives nearby and four daughters – one of whom is an Advertising
Executive in Manhattan, two in college at Elon University and one at home who
loves to play soccer. She considers her family to be her greatest blessing.

About Rainbow Village:
Established in 1991 and based in Duluth, Georgia, Rainbow Village is a
501(c)3 nonprofit organization devoted to breaking the cycles of homelessness,
poverty and domestic violence. Committed to serving as a “community of
transformation”, Rainbow Village applies a holistic, two-generational approach
to serving homeless families with children. With the goal of helping families
achieve emotional stability and financial independence, Rainbow Village
provides housing, early childhood education and after-school care, child and
youth programming, financial planning, career counseling, workforce readiness,
mental health counseling, community events and more. Rainbow Village accepts
applications from homeless families with minor children throughout Georgia. To
learn more about Rainbow Village, register as a volunteer or make a donation,
visit www.rainbowvillage.org.

Spotlight on Rainbow Village Graduate: Carrie Chaney

Carrie Chaney was doing just
fine. She had a good job, roof over her head, beautiful teenage daughter,
committed boyfriend of three years and bouncing baby boy on the way. In 2009, a
“perfect storm” took hold in her life, turning her whole world upside down.
That same year, the economic downturn wreaked havoc on the construction
industry. Her company – a construction adhesive supplier – laid her off and
shuttered their doors. Over the course of the next two months, her boyfriend
went from being a productive member of society to an abusive daily drug user.
Not wanting to raise her children in that environment, she told her boyfriend
to leave – even though that meant raising her children all on her own with
nothing to live on but government assistance, food stamps, unemployment and
child support checks. By 2010, she was sued by a former creditor – requiring
her to declare bankruptcy. Carrie’s mother moved in with them to help alleviate
some of the financial and childcare issues while Carrie returned to school to
become a certified medical assistant. Unfortunately, the jobs she was able to
find either paid too little or required a long commute.

By 2013, Carrie was at her wit’s
end and barely staying afloat. Her former boyfriend continued to hound her –
even showing up at the apartment with a gun. She filed a restraining order but remained
frightened at all times. As luck would have it, her teenage daughter was able
to land several scholarships and a student loan – allowing her to move on to
college and a brighter future. Sadly, at home, Carrie was no longer able to
cobble together enough to stay in her apartment and she wanted to get as far
away from her former boyfriend and his threats as possible. She took her
toddler son and moved from Rockdale County into her sister’s small home in Gwinnett
County – where they slept in the only space available, a pallet on the floor of
her nephew’s bedroom. Before the move, Carrie held an estate sale and sold off
nearly all of her possessions. The rest she tucked away in a 5×10 storage unit
or loaded into her Toyota Corolla. She soon landed a sales job making $200/week
+ commission – only she never saw any of the latter because she learned that
she did not have an affinity for sales. Carrie recalled on numerous occasions
taking her son for rides in the car to get out of her sister’s hair for a
little while, and then sitting in parking lots crying and praying because she
didn’t know where to go or what to do.

“I didn’t know how I was going to
find a full-time job or afford childcare,” said Carrie. “I felt desperate and
broken. The emotional side of what I was going through was just as big as the
financial side. I was in my mid-30’s and having to start all over again. I’d
never felt so helpless or hopeless before in my life.”

Little did she know, Carrie’s
prayers were already being heard and answered. She learned about Rainbow
Village and applied for our program. Not long after, she received a call from United
Parcel Service stating that they’d come across an old application she had
submitted. She was hired on in a part-time managerial role and felt as though
she had won the lottery. The money was still meager, but she had benefits for
the first time in a long time. She soon learned that she had been accepted into
our program – where she moved into an apartment with her young son and began
benefitting from our childcare program, life skills classes, counseling and
sense of community. Our job placement program found a full-time position for
Carrie not far from the Rainbow Village campus working at Howard Brothers in
Duluth. Marking her first full-time job since 2009, she started in the summer
of 2015 and has been there ever since.

“I wasn’t looking for a hand out,
I needed a hand up,” insisted Carrie. “I remember praying to God in my car ‘Open
the door and I will do the work to walk through it.’ Having a place to stay was
a huge relief, but to have a support system to show me the way, assess my
skills and place me in a job I love helped me feel as though I had finally dug
my way out of a hole and could see forward progress. Rainbow Village helped me
get on my feet in every way possible and never ever passed judgement.”

Carrie recalled that our life
skills classes that encouraged participants to pull together vision boards,
take part in mock interviews and learn how to dress for success were essential
to her regaining a great deal of the confidence she had lost. Leaving Rainbow
Village was bittersweet and a bit scary, but Carrie also felt the pride of
striking out on her own was a powerful motivator. Today, she lives in a place
of her own with her son Hayden, who continues to participate in the afterschool
program at Rainbow Village’s community center.

“A lot of the people I met at Rainbow Village had a hard life from the get go as a result of generational poverty – one of the cycles the program strives to break,” said Carrie. “I enjoyed a middle-class upbringing and early adulthood, and NEVER would have dreamed that what happened to me could have ever happened. Never say never. I’ve learned that it can happen to literally anyone. I feel so blessed to have found a community that supported me – that continues to support me – at Rainbow Village. If anything good has come from all of this, I believe I have a bigger heart now and more compassion for others.”

Today, Carrie serves as a Program Alumni Representative on Rainbow Village’s Board.

Nonprofit Dedicated to Breaking the Cycles of Homelessness, Poverty and Domestic Violence Raised More Than $330K During Annual Fundraising Event October 12 at Atlanta Athletic Club

Duluth, Ga., October
22, 2019 – Marking
one of Duluth, GA-based Rainbow Village’s largest fundraisers of the year, the
2019 Rainbow Village “We Are Family” Benefit Gala was hosted at the Atlanta
Athletic Club on Saturday, October 12. Over 300 people were in attendance to enjoy
silent and live auctions, seated dinner, speeches from the nonprofit’s CEO and
one of its graduates, and more. By the end of the evening, the nonprofit with a
mission to transform lives by breaking the cycles of homelessness, poverty and
domestic violence had witnessed record-breaking results from its fundraising
efforts.

“A great deal of hard work goes into planning and implementing the
‘We Are Family’ Gala each year,” shared Melanie Conner, CEO of Rainbow Village.
“And each year, that hard work pays off so beautifully. Last year was my first
introduction to our Gala, which has been a long-standing tradition for our
organization. It’s a very special evening on so many fronts that often includes
an account from one of our residents or alumni as they share their story of
what Rainbow Village has brought to their lives. This year, there wasn’t a dry
eye in the room as one of our graduates, Carrie Chaney – who now serves as
Program Alumni Representative on our Board – painted an amazing picture of how
our organization had changed her life and the lives of her children. Accounts
like hers make it real for the folks in attendance and they feel a true
connection to our mission and the families we’re helping. We are so grateful to
our supporters, sponsors, board members and staff for the hand they had in
making this one of our most impactful Galas to date.”

Carrie Chaney – Rainbow Village Alumnus and Featured Speaker at the 2019 “We Are Family” Gala – with her Friend Jonathan Murray

In 2017, the Rainbow Village “We Are Family” Gala raised $276,000.
By 2018’s event, the number rose to an astounding $300,000. This year’s event
raised an unprecedented $337,893. The Gala serves as one
of the nonprofit’s largest fundraisers of the year, followed by the Rainbow
Village Second Chance Golf Classic – which is hosted each Spring. The 2019
Second Chance Golf Classic raised $88,100 for the organization.

“All of the proceeds from
our Gala and Golf Classic go to support the operations and crucial programs
available at the Rainbow Village campus,” added Conner. “We have the capacity
to house and serve 30 homeless families at any given time. Unlike many homeless
programs that simply provide shelter and food, we provide programming in the
areas of family stability, physical and mental well-being, education and
training, financial counseling, money management, career development and
employment assistance. We are devoted to helping the WHOLE family – which is
why we also provide programs for children on our campus. The funds we raise
through events like this, as well as through grants and donations, pave the way
for the homeless families we serve to move on to their NEXT home.”

The next fundraising event on Rainbow Village’s
calendar is the 2020 Second Chance Golf Classic, which is slated for May 4,
2020 at TPC Sugarloaf. More information about Rainbow Village, its programs and
calendar of events can be found at www.rainbowvillage.org.

About Rainbow Village:
Established in 1991 and based in Duluth, Georgia, Rainbow Village is a
501(c)3 nonprofit organization devoted to breaking the cycles of homelessness,
poverty and domestic violence. Committed to serving as a “community of
transformation”, Rainbow Village applies a holistic, two-generational approach
to serving homeless families with children. With the goal of helping families
achieve emotional stability and financial independence, Rainbow Village
provides housing, early childhood education and after-school care, child and
youth programming, financial planning, career counseling, workforce readiness,
mental health counseling, community events and more. Rainbow Village accepts
applications from homeless families with minor children throughout Georgia. To
learn more about Rainbow Village, register as a volunteer or make a donation,
visit www.rainbowvillage.org.

At Rainbow Village, we always look
forward to days of service in which corporations, organizations and individual volunteers
arrive on our campus to pour into the community and give back with their time
and talents. This is certainly the case with Robert D. Fowler YMCA, which has been
a partner to Rainbow Village for nearly six years. This wonderful organization not
only serves by helping us with maintenance activities throughout the facility,
but also by providing other programs for Rainbow Village residents. For
instance, the Y offers a Holiday Camp where the children of Rainbow Village can
learn and have fun over holiday break while their parents work. It also offers a
Leadership Program geared to our teenagers that instills them with a sense of
confidence while providing them with some very important skills to succeed in
high school and beyond.

On their most recent day of
service, Mark Thornell, Executive Director of the Robert D. Fowler YMCA, led
the group of volunteers. This amazing crew tackled everything from pulling
weeds from our landscaped beds to cleaning out an apartment for an incoming
family to pressure washing some of the buildings. These actions not only help us maintain the
facility, but they’re also helping us build a better and stronger community.

Chairman of the Board, Eric Mai, kept busy on many different cleaning projects throughout the morning. When asked about his reason for volunteering, he stated, “I have been associated with the Fowler Y for the last 6 years. [Rainbow Village] is one of these partners that gives back and helps people to get back on their feet and kind of create a strong life and that’s also what the YMCA is all about… creating culture and an environment where people can be safe and be at their best.”

Not only does Eric serve others
with a giving heart, he shares about his own past experiences where people have
really invested in him, “I really became passionate about volunteering in
general because throughout my life people have given to me and, as you start to
let that resonate with you, you begin to see the value in that and create
opportunities to give and serve.”

Throughout the morning volunteers
collected litter and swept leaves off the sidewalk, all the while enjoying a
beautiful Fall day as they worked as a small group for a larger community that
they viewed as their own. One volunteer, Deborah McGunner, expressed that this
was her first time working with the Y and Rainbow Village. “I love to help
people and communities. The people here are great and what Rainbow Village does
has definitely touched my heart.”

Jessica Blalock, who has been
with the YMCA for several years and does volunteer work with her husband,
Colin, stated, “I am retired and for the past ten years I do volunteer work and
it’s an extension of what I like do and I really enjoy it. When you walk away,
you know that it’s made someone’s life better in some small way and I can’t do
a lot, but I can do a little bit and that to me is important.”

The volunteers ended their
morning of success with a well-deserved picnic of cold lemonade and sandwiches,
making the Rainbow Village facility a little better in their own small way.

Nonprofit Dedicated
to Breaking the Cycles of Homelessness, Poverty and Domestic Violence Heralded
as an Organization that – Although Small – Makes a Big Difference in the Lives
of Others

Duluth, Ga., September
17, 2019 – Formerly
known as the Pinnacle Awards, The Gwinnett Chamber inaugural Small Business
Awards will showcase those that dare to start, sustain and succeed and the
community that supports them. Recognized as an organization that – although
small – makes a big difference in the lives of others, Duluth-based nonprofit
Rainbow Village has been nominated in the Community Contributor category.

“We are honored to be
nominated in the inaugural Gwinnett Small Business Awards,” said Melanie Conner,
CEO of Rainbow Village – an organization dedicated to breaking the cycles of
homelessness, poverty and domestic violence. “With as many as 30 families in
our care from one day to the next – between success coaching and life skills
classes to the provision of childcare and transitional housing on our campus –
it’s easy for us to keep our heads down, maintain our lane and stay focused
primarily on our mission of helping homeless families with children. Gwinnett
Chamber is an amazing asset to the Gwinnett County business community. They
champion causes like ours, honor local businesses and pay tribute to community
leaders on a regular basis – and that’s a really wonderful thing. Because of
the Gwinnett Chamber – award or no – we all win.”

Since its launch in 1991, Rainbow Village has served as a self-described
“community of transformation.” Situated in the heart of Duluth, its campus boasts
five apartment buildings, offices and a community center that houses facilities
for an early childhood development center, after school program, adult
counseling and life skills classes, chapel and event space. In addition to its
nomination for the Gwinnett Small Business Awards, Rainbow Village is currently
in the running for Community Organizations – Family Services in Best of
Gwinnett, a distinction it most recently achieved in 2018.

Honoring individuals and organizations alike, in addition to
Community Contributors like Rainbow Village, designations will be given in the
following areas:

About Rainbow Village:
Established in 1991 and based in Duluth, Georgia, Rainbow Village is a
501(c)3 nonprofit organization devoted to breaking the cycles of homelessness,
poverty and domestic violence. Committed to serving as a “community of
transformation”, Rainbow Village applies a holistic, two-generational approach
to serving homeless families with children. With the goal of helping families
achieve emotional stability and financial independence, Rainbow Village
provides housing, early childhood education and after-school care, child and
youth programming, financial planning, career counseling, workforce readiness,
mental health counseling, community events and more. Rainbow Village accepts
applications from homeless families with minor children throughout Georgia. To
learn more about Rainbow Village, register as a volunteer or make a donation,
visit www.rainbowvillage.org.

Nonprofit Dedicated to Breaking the Cycles of Homelessness, Poverty and Domestic Violence Will Host Annual Fundraising Event October 12 at Atlanta Athletic Club

Duluth, Ga., September
13, 2019 – When
one thinks about homelessness, they might not envision people dressed in formal
evening attire. However, when Rainbow Village hosts its “We Are Family” Benefit
Gala each year, tuxedos and little black dresses are precisely what an amazing
group of benefactors and advocates wear to show their support for the nonprofit
with a mission to transform lives by breaking the cycles of homelessness,
poverty and domestic violence. Serving as one of Duluth-based Rainbow Village’s
largest fundraisers of the year, the 2019 Rainbow Village “We Are Family”
Benefit Gala will be hosted at the Atlanta Athletic Club on Saturday, October
12 at 6 p.m. A number of seats and sponsorships at this popular annual event
still remain.

“Our Annual Gala serves as
a celebration of sorts,” said Melanie Conner, CEO of Rainbow Village. “We’re
taking a moment to recognize how very far we’ve come and how many lives we’ve
touched. At the same time, we’re saying thank you to our many family,
corporate, municipal and faith partners for their incredible support in the
year since our last Gala. Lastly – and perhaps most importantly – we’re
recognizing the fact that we still have so much more to do. Homelessness
remains a major issue in this country – impacting more than 56,000 families in
this country just last year alone. All of the proceeds from our Gala go to
support the operations and crucial programs available at the Rainbow Village
campus – which has the capacity to house and serve 30 homeless families at any
given time. Unlike many homeless programs that simply provide shelter and food,
we deliver the tools our residents need to transition from a life plagued by
poverty or just barely getting by to a life filled with promise with the skills
to not only survive but thrive!”

Individual tickets are $175/person. A number of sponsorships for
this event remain, many of which include tickets or a table for 10 +
opportunities for promotion. Gala tickets include champagne reception, seated
dinner with complimentary wine, silent and live auctions, games with chances to
win prizes and more. A favorite among attendees in recent years is
participation in the wall of wine, where guests can purchase a random bottle
that is potentially much more valuable than the purchase price. Proceeds from
ticket sales, sponsorships, auctions and the wall of wine benefit Rainbow
Village to help provide:

A safe place for a homeless family to live in one of 30 apartments
on one campus in Duluth

Empowerment training for adults in the areas of workforce
development, financial literacy/economic education, success coaching, mentoring
and life skills workshops

An after-school program and an early childhood development center

And more…

To purchase tickets or sign on as a sponsor of the
2019 Rainbow Village “We Are Family” Benefit Gala, please visit https://e.givesmart.com/events/ddQ/.
More information about Rainbow Village and its programs can be found at www.rainbowvillage.org. For those unable to attend the Gala, donations are
always welcome and can be made at the Rainbow Village website.

About Rainbow Village:
Established in 1991 and based in Duluth, Georgia, Rainbow Village is a
501(c)3 nonprofit organization devoted to breaking the cycles of homelessness,
poverty and domestic violence. Committed to serving as a “community of
transformation”, Rainbow Village applies a holistic, two-generational approach
to serving homeless families with children. With the goal of helping families
achieve emotional stability and financial independence, Rainbow Village
provides housing, early childhood education and after-school care, child and
youth programming, financial planning, career counseling, workforce readiness,
mental health counseling, community events and more. Rainbow Village accepts
applications from homeless families with minor children throughout Georgia. To
learn more about Rainbow Village, register as a volunteer or make a donation,
visit www.rainbowvillage.org.

Like many families with a graduate or two in their midst, there has been a flurry of activity in and around the Village for weeks now. Celebrations of different stages of life. The Rainbow Village Early Childhood Development Center just celebrated the graduation of our three-year preschoolers as they move up and our four-year preschoolers as they move on to kindergarten in the local elementary school. One of our adult residents – Renee – just completed Dental Staff School and will be pursuing a career as a Dental Assistant. We are so proud of you and so excited FOR you all.

What is perhaps most exciting is
the ever-evolving story of our very own Bianca Miller. A mother of three, she graduated
from Rainbow Village two years ago. Since she left our program and moved from
our campus, Bianca and her children have lived in the same location – an
important component in providing stability for the family. Rainbow Village has remained a valued support
system for the Miller family as Bianca’s daughters have continued to take part
in our ECDC and afterschool programming while mom pursued her degree. Bianca
just graduated from Gwinnett Tech with an associate degree in Business
Management (the same month and year her youngest daughter, Zaria, graduated
from our preschool program). Bianca plans to pursue her bachelor’s degree.

“Rainbow Village and its
supporters have been walking with me through this journey for the past three
years,” penned Bianca in a heartfelt note. “Your support could be seen and felt
all around me – at one point pushing me to continue when there was temptation
to quit. I am often reminded of my Village and encouraged to go further. When I
picked up my cap and gown, not only did I feel proud, but the amazement in my
girls’ eyes is something I’ll never forget. Thank you for helping me get to
this moment! ‘I thank my God upon every remembrance of you’ ~ Philippians 3:1”

We hope you know we’re your biggest cheerleaders, Bianca! We are amazed by all that you’ve accomplished to date and can’t wait to see you realize all the promise your life holds! You’re setting an amazing example for your little girls.

Nonprofit Dedicated to Breaking the Cycles of Homelessness, Poverty and Domestic Violence Enhances Team with Suzzette Miller-Blackmon as Family Engagement Coordinator plus Crystal Johnson and Janelle Lawson as Success Coaches

Duluth, Ga., May 28, 2019 – Having ended its capital campaign and fulfilled its plan to add five apartment buildings and a community center to its 2.5-acre campus in the heart of Duluth in 2017, Rainbow Village has had to redefine the concept of growth in recent years. Its newest signs of fresh growth include the addition of three new staff members to better serve families who recently contended with homelessness, poverty or domestic violence. The Gwinnett County-based nonprofit is proud to announce the recent enhancement of its team with Suzzette Miller-Blackmon joining Rainbow Village as Family Engagement Coordinator and Crystal Johnson and Janelle Lawson serving as Success Coaches.

“In addition to working to maintain our campus, we’ve turned our
focus to improving the quality of service we provide to the families we serve,”
said Melanie Conner, CEO of Rainbow Village. “Above and beyond giving our
families the tools they need to succeed; we want to give them more of a voice
and the affirmation that they’re being heard. Our new success coaches – Janelle
and Crystal – will do that for them. Their relationships with Rainbow Village
families will be special and empowering. They will help the families we serve
build smart and attainable goals, while holding them accountable to see them
through and celebrate the little victories with them all along the way. Instead
of ‘you can’t do that,’ Janelle and Crystal will tell them ‘yes you can, and
this is how.’”

Crystal Johnson holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from
San Francisco State University and a Patient Advocate Certification from the
University of California Los Angeles. Johnson
has worked in the field of direct services for many years and has a vast array
of experience in Case Management Services. She has served Tri-City Health Care
and Community Violence Solutions in California, as well as AID Atlanta and
Lost-N-Found Youth Center in Atlanta. Johnson understands the importance of
giving compassionate and honest feedback to families while empowering them with
the necessary tools to be successful and self-sufficient.

Janelle Lawson holds a Master of Science degree in Post-Secondary
Education from Troy University, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Family
Studies from Mississippi University for Women.
Lawson has over fourteen years of experience in the human services
field. After completing college, she started working in the social service
arena as a Social Worker for various Head Start centers in Jackson,
Mississippi. She relocated to Georgia in
2008 and has since worked with a variety of populations ranging from Veterans
under the SSVF program to homeless families in transitional housing
programs. Lawson is an enthusiastic
problem solver who loves to help families find their independence again.

“Endeavoring to serve the WHOLE family, we use a
multi-generational approach in just about everything we do at Rainbow Village,”
added Conner. “Our new Family Engagement Coordinator, Suzzette Miller-Blackmon,
will work closely with the After-School Program and not just with the children,
but also with the parents to make sure they are engaged with their child’s educational-social
performance and ultimate success. It’s all too easy to get caught up in the day
to day demands of life. Suzzette will help the parents take a beat and really
SEE what their child is doing, what their interests are, and how to help them
achieve their dreams. To support that effort, she will develop and implement
family engagement events and activities, as well as manage family
communications, including newsletters and social media, to keep everyone
connected.”

Suzzette
Miller-Blackmon holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Science/Educational
Studies from SUNY Empire State College.
She also holds an Associate of Arts in Early Childhood Education from
Borough of Manhattan Community College of the City University. Miller-Blackmon worked for five years as a
Program Director for Five Towns Head Start Program in New York. Here in Georgia, she had a three-year tenure
as a Curriculum Director at Apostles Learning Center in Sandy Springs and
operated her own Educational Consulting business, Fresh Start Services, out of
Lawrenceville for 10 years. A team
player and caring leader, her teaching philosophy embraces the total child with
an emphasis on parent engagement.

To
learn more about Rainbow Village, make a donation or register as a volunteer,
please visit www.rainbowvillage.org.

About Rainbow Village: Established in 1991 and based in Duluth, Georgia, Rainbow Village is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization devoted to breaking the cycles of homelessness, poverty and domestic violence. Committed to serving as a “community of transformation”, Rainbow Village applies a holistic, two-generational approach to serving homeless families with children. With the goal of helping families achieve emotional stability and financial independence, Rainbow Village provides housing, early childhood education and after-school care, child and youth programming, financial planning, career counseling, workforce readiness, mental health counseling, community events and more. Rainbow Village accepts applications from homeless families with minor children throughout Georgia. To learn more about Rainbow Village, register as a volunteer or make a donation, visit www.rainbowvillage.org.

Local Businesses and Golfers Turn Out in Support of Organization with a
Mission to Break the Cycles of Homelessness, Poverty and Domestic Violence in
North Metro Atlanta

Duluth, Ga., May 21, 2019 – As a nonprofit organization that understands the importance of giving second chances to homeless families in need, Rainbow Village was proud to play host to one of its most successful fundraisers to date – the 2019 Rainbow Village Second Chance Golf Classic. With the tagline “The course of life can be a challenge. Sometimes we need a mulligan.” for inspiration, 112 golfers took to the course at TPC Sugarloaf with the goal of having fun and changing lives. Before the day was over, the nonprofit dedicated to breaking the cycles of homelessness, poverty and domestic violence in North Metro Atlanta had raised $88,100.

“We simply cannot say thank you enough to all of our amazing sponsors, groups of friends who came out as foursomes, individual golfers, volunteers, community partners and the wonderful staff at TPC Sugarloaf,” said Melanie Conner, CEO of Rainbow Village. “In addition to having an amazing time and being blessed with beautiful weather, we raised $24,000 MORE than last year’s event – something we never could have imagined. It just goes to show how incredibly supportive the Gwinnett County and North Metro Atlanta communities are of Rainbow Village. Those communities share with us a strong desire to help Rainbow Village families pursue futures filled with promise so that their children never have to face another night of homelessness the rest of their lives.”

Needless to say, as a tournament, there was a winning team. The foursome of Larry Mays, Joe Mays, Chandler Doughty and Steve Doughty brought home the win (after a Rock Paper Scissors Challenge between their team and the tying Salesforce team), but the real winners of the day were the families Rainbow Village serves with its 2.5-acre campus that houses five apartment buildings and a community center that includes space for an Early Childhood Development Center, after-school programming, family dining room and more. In addition to housing and childcare, the Duluth-based nonprofit provides financial and career counseling, life skills classes, mental health services and – most importantly – a solid sense of community for the 30 families it serves at any given time. Funds raised from the Second Chance Golf Classic will go to support programming and operations at Rainbow Village.

Rainbow
Village’s other major annual fundraising event – the “We Are Family” Benefit
Gala – is scheduled for Saturday, October 12 at the Atlanta Athletic Club. To
learn more about Rainbow Village, make a donation or register as a volunteer,
please visit www.rainbowvillage.org.

About Rainbow Village: Established in 1991 and based in Duluth, Georgia, Rainbow Village is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization devoted to breaking the cycles of homelessness, poverty and domestic violence. Committed to serving as a “community of transformation”, Rainbow Village applies a holistic, two-generational approach to serving homeless families with children. With the goal of helping families achieve emotional stability and financial independence, Rainbow Village provides housing, early childhood education and after-school care, child and youth programming, financial planning, career counseling, workforce readiness, mental health counseling, community events and more. Rainbow Village accepts applications from homeless families with minor children throughout Georgia. To learn more about Rainbow Village, register as a volunteer or make a donation, visit www.rainbowvillage.org.

Rainbow
Village Board Member Spotlight

One thing is for
certain. Wayne Ellison is a busy man. In addition to his role at the helm of
his own highly successful insurance agency – Norcross-based Ellison
Insurance Agency – this Virginia-born Atlanta transplant serves on
the boards for Junior Achievement, New Mercies Christian Church, Gwinnett
County United Way (as its incoming chair), Rotary Club of Gwinnett, 100 Black
Men of North Atlanta and his fraternity – Phi Beta Sigma. As if all of that
wasn’t enough, the married father of three ALSO devotes his time, treasure and
talents to selflessly serve the families of Rainbow
Village as a Board Member.

Ellison first learned about
Rainbow Village while taking part in Leadership Gwinnett in 2005 alongside our
organization’s former CEO, Reverend Nancy Yancey. In 2017, he took a tour of
the 2.5-acre campus and facilities before being invited to join the board.
After witnessing firsthand what our nonprofit organization had to offer
homeless families, he took a leap of faith and has served as a cherished and
compassionate member of the board ever since.

“I was immediately impressed by
what Rainbow Village has to offer families-in-need – from housing and early childhood
development to self-sufficiency skills training and financial counseling,” said
Ellison. “Money management and parenting don’t come with instructions and what
you learn along the way may be good, bad or indifferent. Rainbow Village not
only provides these families with the tools they need to succeed, but it also
offers them peace and stability. A consistent place to lay your head from
night-to-night is a powerful thing, but Rainbow Village gives them so much more
than that.”

“Come with a servant’s heart,
willing spirit and open mind,” suggested Ellison. “There are some people who serve
on a board merely to pad their resume. That won’t work here. When you see the
difference Rainbow Village makes in peoples’ lives and realize that you’ve had
a hand in it, that simply motivates you to give more. Not to mention the fact
that the staff here is A-1 and so rewarding to work with. Involvement with
Rainbow Village is a great investment of time, energy and money. You can
literally SEE the ‘life-changing’ taking place every day. It’s not our place to
judge or question what brought a family to Rainbow Village, but it is our duty
to focus on their futures and help transform their lives for the better. None
of us got to where we’re at without the help of another. Adversity knocks on
everybody’s door at one point or another.”

Melanie Conner – CEO of Rainbow
Village – had this to say about Ellison, “Wayne has proven to be the consummate
board member. He is totally involved and supportive of Rainbow Village, and he regularly
introduces our organization and its all-important mission to others within his
circle of influence. My team and I truly appreciate his generosity, as well as
his genuine and infectious personality.”

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